There Will Be Two Seats
by Evil-Pixie-Dust
Summary: Teenaged years can be rough, and poor Mokuba’s finding this out. Though, he’s determined to make friends and have fun. However, his feelings for his brother are getting in the way, and he just can’t find a way to let Seto know. Locketshipping.
1. Nanny will fix it!

Name: There Will Be Two Seats

Rating: M, for sexual content

Summary: Teenaged years can be rough, and poor Mokuba's finding this out. Though, he's determined to make friends and have fun. However, his feelings for his brother are getting in the way, and he just can't find a way to let Seto know. Throw in an albino nanny and a dice-playing co-worker, and the poor boy's going to have a heart-attack.

Locketshipping, Snareshipping, Tendershipping, and Puzzleshipping.

Chapter One: Nanny will fix it!

Mokuba stumbled down the cracked side-walk, wincing with every step, as he held his arm close to his ribcage. Tears began to sting his eyes as he pushed forward, his body aching under the pressure of movement. Suddenly, his shoelace, which was loose from its normal knot, slipped under his other shoe. Taking another step, the shoelace snagged, causing the raven-haired youth to trip…

Earlier That Morning:

With a bright and cheery smile playing at his lips, fourteen-year-old Mokuba didn't hesitate to throw open his brother's bedroom door. "Ohaiyo, Nii-sama," the teen called in a chipper manner, causing his already up and about brother to look up from fixing his belt buckle.

"I could've sworn I taught you how to knock…" his brother stated wryly, checking his appearance in the mirror for any possible flaws.

Mokuba ignored his sarcasm and walked to his side, peeking at his own smaller reflection that stood elfishly beside the distinguished visage of his brother. "Seto, there's no need to be so vain. You're always perfect."

The elder Kaiba brother raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his younger sibling. "I'm not vain. I just like to make a good impression." He retreated from the mirror to the pristinely made bed, picking up his laptop case.

The impish brother stuck out his tongue in jest as he followed Seto with bouncy footsteps. "'Work or Die' isn't that great of an impression, Nii-sama," the stormy-eyed youth said with a tiny chuckle.

Rolling his eyes, Seto chose to ignore the comment as he picked up his trademark coat, hanging it over his arm. Turning to his little brother, the elder Kaiba boy finally took the time to analyze Mokuba's attire.

The youthful teen was in an all too familiar Domino High School boy's uniform with his unruly raven hair pulled back into a ponytail with a blue piece of material that Seto guessed was a ribbon of some sort.

"Are you going somewhere?" the elder asked cynically, his eyes running over his brother again.

Mokuba blushed as his brother's eyes roamed his small frame. Biting his own tongue, the youth willed away his sinful thoughts and met his brother's speculative eyes with his own mischievous ones.

"Today is the first day of school, Nii-sama. You have to take me, remember?"

Kaiba Seto scoffed indignantly. "Must you really go? You don't need to. You're brilliant, Mokuba, and you could probably test out of everything and just receive your diploma. No need to stick around in those classes. I didn't."

Scowling sourly at his brother's lack of understanding, the raven-haired youth marched closer to his brother and stood tiptoe to look at him, which didn't even bring them eye to eye. The younger mentally begrudged his small, effeminate stature.

"I _want_to go. I want to have _friends_. I want to be _normal._"

Chuckling, the elder brother rolled his eyes. "Friends," he snorted, "You have friends. What about Motou and his… posse?"

Mokuba growled under his breath and stomped his foot. "They all went to college, Seto. I want friends my own age!"

Turning and walking out of his room as if the discussion was of no importance to him, as Mokuba suspected it might have been, Seto set off in the direction of his home office.

Mokuba, after biting his lip to keep from screeching in pure frustration, marched on after him, having still a point to make.

"You're taking me to school, right?"

Walking into his office, Seto meandered over to his desk and picked up the documents he would need for his meeting today. "Doesn't Yami work over at the game shop with Motou's grandfather? Hang out with him."

The storm-eyed boy clenched his fists, his nails biting the delicate skin on his palms. "Yami's so much older than me, Seto. He should be _your_ friend, not mine. I want to hang out with kids _my_ age."

The elder Kaiba brother scoffed bitterly; the idea of the Pharaoh being his friend was utterly ridiculous in his mind. However, he turned to his younger brother with yielding eyes as he picked up his packed briefcase.

"Go get your bag."

Smiling in impish victory, Mokuba ran off to fetch his already prepared school-bag resting in the living room, then he waited patiently by the front door for his less enthusiastic sibling.

Seto descended the stairs in an unusually lethargic way. He really wasn't looking forward to the whining he was sure to hear when he returned home that night, seeing as the elder Kaiba was sure that Mokuba wouldn't have a splendid first day. Then again, the corporate young man thought, his reasoning could be quite the opposite and Mokuba would have the best day of his fervent little life and he'd want to continue going to hell-er-school, but that would be just as bad in Seto's opinion.

Ignoring the keys hanging on the hook near the door, the elder Kaiba motioned his brother out the door.

"We're taking the limo."

***

The sleek, black car pulled in front of Domino High School, catching the intrigued interest of the students filing in for their first day of the school year.

Mokuba wasted no time in bounding eagerly out of the car. "I'll see you later Nii-sama!" he stated gleefully, closing the door to the limo just before it drove off.

The nearby students stared at the raven-haired youth as he all but marched his way to the front of the school and threw open the glass doors in a somewhat victorious manner. Once he was inside, the teens began to talk. Not just normal talking, though. No, they began to gossip; an art in the teenaged world.

"The Kaiba brother?"

"Did you see him?"

"He looks nothing like his brother. Are they really related?"

"Did you see that limo?! How...bold."

"He looks pompous."

"He's probably a huge jerk."

"I bet he's a spoiled brat."

Mokuba, our protagonist, had no earthly clue of the whispers that tainted the path he left behind as he wandered, transfixed, around the campus. Filled with joy at the prospect of making new friends, the impish boy could feel his heart speeding up as he found his way into the auditorium where the school meeting would be held in a few minutes.

There were already some students sitting in the cold, hard chairs that filled the room, and they all turned his way with looks of surprise.

However, Mokuba was too taken in by his excitement to notice as he glanced around the large room. He, unknowingly, ignored them and found a seat near the front of the room.

Looking at one another, the students began to speak in low, bitter whispers.

It didn't take long for the auditorium to fill. It also didn't take long for the gossip to spread. By the time the meeting started, the whole student body was buzzing about the presence of the younger Kaiba brother.

All settled when the principal stood to speak. He welcomed the freshmen and welcomed back the older students. After discussing some key points of the coming school year and his usual pep talk about grades and extra curricular activities, he dismissed the students accordingly to report to their home rooms.

Mokuba joined the thriving throng of students as they filed into the narrow hallways of Domino High. Checking his schedule extra carefully, he fought his way through the crowd and stumbled through the door of his class room, all the while unaware of the people around him, observing his every move.

The kids in the classroom stopped their activities to look at him, their eyes filled with a bitter, cold indifference.

Catching on for the first time that morning, Mokuba could help but think how odd it was for them to look at him that way. "Good morning everyone," he greeted cheerfully, sitting down at one the desks.

"My morning would be good if _I_ arrived by _limo_," responded one of the girls, a haughty looking little blonde. A few of her friends nodded and glowered at the raven-haired boy.

"Don't be mean, Kimiko," a boy interjected from the other side of the room, "That's how all rich ponces get to school."

A flurry of laughter hit poor, stunned Mokuba like mouse-trap to its prey. "W-what?"

The pack of boys, eyes glittering like wolves on the hunt, surrounded the smaller boy's desk, eyeing him, scrutinizing his every move.

"Did I stutter?" the first boy hissed, shocking the stormy-eyed teen.

A second boy snickered as he roughly tugged on Mokuba's hair-tie, making the latter wince in pain. "What's this? A ribbon? How gay."

Before the uncalled for assault could get carried away, the home room teacher made his appearance and the boys scattered like rats.

Mokuba fought back tears as he sunk low in his seat. Things weren't going as planned...

***

Mokuba clung to his bag tightly as he scurried out of the classroom. The day had been opposite of what he'd seen in his optimistic imagination and he couldn't wait to get home and cry on his brother's shoulder about, though he doubted that Seto would have very much sympathy.

He couldn't believe what his classmates said to him. The poor raven-haired youth barely said hello to them before he was verbally jumped, like a carcass in the middle of starving hyenas. Was it just because of who he was? How cruel.

He lamented further about the fact that he had to walk home. He wanted to get home immediately so that he could just hide from the world and his naivety.

A few blocks away from the school, head hung low, the stormy-eyed teen heard footstep behind him.

"Kaiba! Come here!"

Reluctantly, Mokuba turned to peek over his shoulder. Approaching like a pack of wolves were the boys that had harassed him earlier. He swallowed the heavy lump in his throat and halted, waiting for them to catch up.

"How are you Kaiba?" the alpha-male asked and they caught up and encircled him.

Mokuba fought the urge to run; he figured that would piss them off and he wouldn't even get that for before they caught him. Damn his small legs.

"I'm fine," Mokuba lied, hugging his bag tightly to his chest.

"Going home?" another pack member asked innocently from behind his ear. The smaller boy shuddered involuntarily.

"Yeah..." he replied, slowly trying to move away from the boys, "I have some things to work on for Kaiba Corp."

The alpha-male growled and caught the shorter boy by the shoulder, pulling him roughly back.

"You think you're some hot shit, don't you?" he snarled as his pack enclosed Mokuba. He swung forward quickly with his hand, knocking the bag from his prey's tight grasp. "What gives you the right to even talk to us, let alone show up at our school and begin to show off?"

Mokuba's eyes widened as his blood started to boil in his veins. "I didn't show off! Maybe you're just jealous!" He gasped, knowing he'd said the worst thing he could've said. Before he got his chance to apologize, a fist collided with his colon.

***

Mokuba stumbled down the cracked side-walk, wincing with every step, as he held his arm close to his ribcage. Tears began to sting his eyes as he pushed forward, his body aching under the pressure of movement. Suddenly, his shoelace, which was loose from its normal knot, slipped under his other shoe. Taking another step, the shoelace snagged, causing the raven-haired youth to trip.

Crying out, he braced himself for impact, but it never came. Long arms had caught him and were now wrapping themselves around his beaten body. He looked up, tears in his eyes, and stared at his brother. "Nii-sama..." Then his world faded to black.

Seto looked down at the boy, confusion and frustration deep in his eyes, and then picked him up and placed him in the back seat of the limo next to him, telling the driver to head home.

***

His body ached harshly. Mokuba groaned as he pushed himself up. Wait. Up? He opened his stormy eyes to survey his surroundings. Warm in a tangle of light blue sheets, he had been sleeping in his brother's bed. The younger Kaiba gasped softly. How long had he been there? And how did he get there, for that matter?

"Hey there," a soft voice spoke from his left and Mokuba turned to meet the eyes of his brother, curled up next to him with a book sprawled across his lap. The title said _The Art of War._

"Nii-sama, how-"

"I saw you when I was going back to the office from a meeting," Seto cut him off, marking the page in his book before setting it on the bedside table, "Let's just say I never made it back to the office."

Biting his lip, the younger brother broke his eye contact. He felt like the worst person in the world. He had an epically bad day at school, he pissed people off, and on top of that, he ruined his brother's day. Holding back tears, he gripped the sheets in his hands, twisting them.

"Tell me what happened, Mokuba," Seto demanded calmly, reaching out to touch his brother's shoulder.

The teen felt sparks fly through his body, the skin of his shoulder buzzing and tingling under his brother's touch. Fear grew in his stomach and he shoved that hand away, flinging back the sheets to scurry out of the bed. "It's none of your damn business! Why the hell would you care anyway?"

Seto stared at the boy in shock, and then narrowed his eyes challengingly.

"Because, you got hurt," he growled, standing up to follow as Mokuba stormed out of the room.

The teen descended the staircase, pound each foot roughly with every step. "Why, because it's bad for your reputation?" he snarled back. What was he saying? He knew better than that, but his frustration was making him say otherwise.

Catching his brother by the arm at the bottom of the stairs, Seto, with as much force as he felt safe to use on the battered boy, twirled him around so that he could look at him. "How dare you say that? You know you're more important than reputation or work, so get rid of your shitty attitude, Mokuba, and-"

The doorbell sounded through the large house, rendering them both silent. The elder brother groaned in frustration and let Mokuba's arm free to rub his temples. "Stay put," he commanded to the boy as he turned towards the door to answer it.

Kaiba didn't have a butler or maids. He really didn't like them. He had… trust issues when it came to employees.

Unlatching the locks and pulling open the door, Seto was shocked to see two old friends, friends being a very vague word, of his standing before him. Ryou looked up at him with big brown eyes as Bakura scowled behind him, obviously not happy to be on the Kaiba doorstep.

"Hi…" Seto said nervously, wondering what the hell they were doing at his door at 9 o'clock at night.

"Good evening, Kaiba," Ryou responded quickly and cheerfully. Bakura just glared at the corporate tycoon.

"What do you want?" the business man inquired, eager to get these all to familiar people off of his doorstep and as far away from his property as possible.

Ryou's look became mildly downcast and he stole a glance at Bakura, who sneered, before turning back to answer.

"I'm actually here about a job."

Seto raised his eyebrows in shock, then regain his composure. "Right…come in." He moved aside to let them through, giving Bakura a "don't touch my stuff" look.

By this time, Mokuba had sneakily worked his way halfway up the stairs, and as he went to dash the final stretch, Seto passed the staircase and, without looking, pointed at the boy and motioned for him to come back down.

"Fuck…" the teen hissed angrily under his breath as he stormed back down the stairs and followed his elder brother into their sitting room.

Catching a glimpse of Mokuba's physical state, Ryou gasped and rushed to the boy, grabbing his arms gently. "Mokuba, what happened? Are you alright?"

"It's a long story," Seto responed before Mokuba could open his mouth, "And that's not what we're here to talk about. So please, if you will?"

Nodding, Ryou released the boy and sat down in one of the chairs. "I came to ask about a job."

"What kind of job?" the business man responded, sitting on the couch. He pulled Mokuba next to him, making it impossible for him to sneak off again.

"Any job. I'm in a bit of a fix. You see, I'm having a hard time paying for college," the white-haired man said, looking meekly at his feet.

Seto leaned back, crossing his arms in the process, and said, "No offense, but I don't think your very qualified for any of the positions in my company."

"It doesn't have to be at the company. How about working around the house?" the albino pleaded.

Seto raised an eyebrow and drummed his fingers. He could use help around the house, but could he trust Ryou? And even if he could trust Ryou, could that filthy tomb raider be trusted near all of his possessions. They'd have to be watched at all times… 'Wait,' Seto thought, 'Where IS the tomb raider?'

Bakura had wandered, unnoticed, into the next room. He had spotted a nice looking dragon figurine in a china cabinet. He had picked the lock, and was just about to reach in when he heard, "Don't even think about it Laura Croft…"¹

He snarled and glanced over his shoulder to see the other three watching him from the doorway. Ryou looked livid.

"I don't appreciate your American humor," he sneered, giving Seto a dangerous look.

"Bakura, you promised not to cause me trouble! You know I need work!" Ryou screamed, walking over to grab his darkside by the ear, pulling him back to the sitting room. The yami grimaced in pain.

Seto watched their exchange, and an ingenious plan formed in his head as he stole a glance and his thoroughly uninterested brother. "Actually…I think I do have a job for you."

Ryou turned from abusing his other half to look at Seto. "Really?" he asked hopefully, letting go of his yami, who rubbed his bruised head.²

"Yes, the perfect job. How would you like to be Mokuba's nanny?"

"WHAT?" the younger Kaiba screamed, insulted by the suggestion. His blood boiled in his veins. Ryou blinked in mild confusion.

In haughty victory, the elder Kaiba turned in the direction of his brother and crossed his arm defiantly. "If you refuse to let me in your life, I have to find someone that you will. So, from this point on, Ryou is your nanny."

Mokuba glared at Seto, tears forming in his eyes, his fists clenched. There was nothing he could say.

Ryou and Bakura exchanged a look. What had they just walked into?

***End Chapter***

¹- Haha, Laura Croft, tomb raider? It's funny, so laugh!

² Bakura should file for Yami-abuse.

A/N:

Haha, oookay. Locketshipping = love.

For all of those who normally read my Yami no Matsuei stories that are looking at this, although that is a slim possibility, I want you to know that I WOULD have been finishing _Devil, we meet once more_, but my computer actually ATE my fanfiction folder. ATE it. It's corrupt and I cannot get into the folder. So, I have to find a way to recover all of my data before continuing. I apologize immensely and I want you to know that I'm just as sad as you are.

Moving on, this will end up being a very long fic. I don't plan on the love confession to come quickly (Expect it at chapter 8-10) and I don't expect it to end there. I've done the math and plot lines in my head, and I figured that this will be at least a thirty chapter story. **WBAELS.**(Will Be An Extremely Long Story. Acronym coined by Zenelly, copyrighted by Pixie. Pronounced "Wuh-BAY-els"). That's my new fanfic term. Use it sometime.

Okay, until next time.

~ Pixie


	2. The Coworker and The Tantrum

A/N: Well, I haven't been writing for a while, so I thought I'd update one of my fics. I'm in a Seto X Mokuba mood, so here is the next installment of their whirlwind adventure.

Disclaimer: I don't own any element of Yugioh. If I did, it would have never been able to air on cartoon network, even if 4Kids tried to clean it up.

Name: There Will Be Two Seats

Rating: M, for sexual content

Summary: Teenaged years can be rough, and poor Mokuba's finding this out. Though, he's determined to make friends and have fun. However, his feelings for his brother are getting in the way, and he just can't find a way to let Seto know. Throw in an albino nanny and a dice-playing co-worker, and the poor boy's going to have a heart-attack.

Locketshipping, Snareshipping, Tendershipping, and Puzzleshipping.

Chapter Two: The Co-worker and the Tantrum

(THIS IS THE UN-BETA'D CHAPTER! CHECK BACK LATER FOR THE BETA'D VERSION IF YOU WANT TO.)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mokuba gathered his backpack and roughly slung it over his shoulder. Walking from his bedroom, he slammed the door violently behind him and made his way down the upstairs hallway.

Seto, having heard the angry door slamming, peered from his bedroom door just in time to see his young sibling stomping off toward the stairs. "Mokuba..." he warned as the younger Kaiba's footsteps became increasingly melodramatic.

The raven-haired youth did not turn to meet his brother's stern look, instead storming down the large staircase in a silent fury.

Seto frowned in aggravation. "Silent treatment, huh?" He sighed and ran a hand through his well-groomed hair. "He has to learn..."

Mokuba's hand was about to touch the doorknob when a soft, paler hand wrapped around his wrist. Stormy eyes whipped to the side to lock with gentle brown ones. "Mokuba, you shouldn't leave without having some breakfast."

Ryou smiled warmly as he tugged at the teen's arm, attempting to persuade the youth into the kitchen.

Mokuba snapped his wrist back roughly, however, making the albino lose his grip. "Don't even think about milking this whole 'nanny' bit, Ryou. We both know I _don't _need you. Besides, you're just here for the money."

"Harsh..." came Bakura's voice from the kitchen doorframe. Ryou shot a glare at him before turning back to Mokuba. "Look, Mokuba, I _am_ here because I need money, but I think you're wrong about not needing me."

The raven-haired boy scoffed, but soon regretted the action as he winced in pain, holding his bruised rib cage.

Ryou gave the boy a triumphant smile and wasted no time in ushering him into the kitchen.

Mokuba glowered down at a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast that had been placed on the table, awaiting his arrival. Casting a cautious look at both of the white-haired menaces, he sat down and began to slowly eat.

Bakura rolled his eyes and strolled out of the room, not willing to partake in any 'heart-felt' conversation that was about to take place.

The remaining albino sat himself across the table from the dark-haired teen. "Now, if you won't tell Seto how you got those bruises, why don't you tell me?"

Mokuba gave Ryou a dangerous look and pushed the half-finished plate away from him. "What makes you think I didn't already tell Seto?" he questioned with a cocky tone, crossing his arms delicately over his bruised chest.

Giving the boy a 'you've-gotta-be-kidding-me' look, Ryou pushed the plate back in front of the impish teen and smirked knowingly. "Because we could hear you screaming..."

A humiliated blush crossed the teen's face as he bitterly recalled the argument that pursued shortly after Ryou and Bakura had moved what little possessions they owned into the mansion.

Brown eyes softened as Ryou examined the youth before him, struggling with a hidden turmoil. "Tell me, Mokuba."

The dark-haired teen glared venomously at the albino man, pushing the plate away from him again, although a tad violently this time. "Don't play me for a fool, Ryou! I know how the 'nanny' bit works. I tell you, you tell Seto."

Ryou flicked bits of egg from his sweater as he gave the boy a warm look that made Mokuba feel exasperated and childlike, as if no one was really listening. "I won't tell Kaiba, Mokuba. I promise. I can tell you're hurting."

Defalted, Mokuba slumped against the table, not feeling up for a fight as the anger inside of him simmered down to more of an irritated feeling. "Fine. I got beat up by some jerks in my class, okay? Happy?"

"No. Why'd they beat you up?"

"Because, they're jerks?"

"I get that, but is there more to it?"

"They just hate me, okay?! It's just because I'm me!"

Frowning at the tears that had welled up in the boy's eyes as he screamed at him, Ryou gently reached forward to brush the soft bangs out of the boy's face. "Because you're you? Or because you're rich?"

Mokuba bit his lip, averting his eyes as he quelled his anger. Ryou didn't deserve to be treated like this and he knew it. He should be happy that someone wanted to treat him so kindly. To treat him like Seto treated him...

"Yeah. Because I'm rich."

The white-haired man smiled and ruffled the teen's hair affectionately. "That's what I thought. It just isn't possible for people to hate you for you, Mokuba. You really are a sweet kid."

A pressure grew in the teen's chest at Ryou's words. _'Hate me for me...'_ he thought, a lump rising in his throat. Ryou eyed him closely, noticing the sudden nervous nature. "That being said...perhaps you came to that conclusion because...because you hate something about yourself."

'_I love him.'_

Mokuba jumped from the table quickly, as though his seat had become a scalding temperature. "I have to go to school!" He wasted no time in snatching his bag from the back of the chair and darting from the room.

Almost home free, the younger Kaiba reached for the doorknob, but a firm grip stopped him in his tracks, nearly tripping him. Mokuba turned in anger, prepared to chew Ryou out for being too nosey, but he found himself swallowing his words when his eyes locked with concerned blue ones.

"Could I at least drive you to school before you decide to run out my life?" his brother asked, the grip around the youth's wrist softening tenderly.

The raven-haired teen bit his lip, frustrated with himself. What was he doing? He was acting irrationally. Acting like a jerk. Despite Mokuba's feelings, as wrong and painful as they were, his brother didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of the younger Kaiba's emotional wrath. All circumstances aside, it really wasn't his fault. So, hearing his brother question his loyalty, even in such a subtle way, hurt him more than his own self doubt. "Niisama...I'm....I'm sorry. Yes, please take me to school. I'd love it."

He smiled weakly at the elder teen and leaned in close to hug him.

Seto wrapped his arms around his young sibling, pulling him close. He was worried. More than worried. He always tried to do what was best for his Mokuba and now there was something wrong and the boy that he held so high in his heart refused to let him in. It hurt.

"Mokuba, are you sure you don't just want to stay home today?"

"I'm sure, Niisama." The younger of the two pulled away to smile, genuinely, at his favorite person. "Let's just go, okay?"

The elder Kaiba nodded and led his brother out the door.

Ryou leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, well aware of the presence slowly approaching from behind.

"It's rude to eavesdrop," the yami scolded sarcastically.

"There's something much deeper bothering Mokuba and it's really, really hurting him..."

Bakura wrinkled his nose in disgust as he pressed himself against his hikari. "And why should it bother you?"

Ryou turned to face him, a serious look in his soft, chocolate eyes. "It's my job. Beside, Mokuba's a sweet kid. He doesn't deserve the pain he's going through." He gently pushed his yami away as he made his way to the table to clean it.

"Oh? And who made you Ra? What makes you think he doesn't deserve it?"

"No one deserves to hurt because of love."

Bakura gave his hikari a bewildered look as he made his way about the kitchen cleaning. "Love? What on earth...have you been eating the fortune cookies again, Ryou?"

"Can't you see it in his face?! He's in love and it's hurting him! I wonder who he loves...." Ryou's eyes grew a thoughtful luster as he lost himself in thought.

The tomb raided snorted at his other half's peculiar behavior. "Since when is it any of our business?"

"Well, I have been hired to take care of him. I may as well do what I'm paid for."

The yami rolled his dark eyes as he watched Ryou lose himself in thought again. "Holy Ra, what have we walked into..."he growled sarcastically, leaving his hikari to clean.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Seto Kaiba strolled confidently down the office hall to his office. He checked his appearance for what had to be the eightieth time in the windows as he passed them. Today he had to pick a business partner to help him run Kaiba Corp.

Not a permanent partner, mind you. No, that spot belong solely to Mokuba alone. But Mokuba, brilliant as he was, was only just a child in Seto's eyes and he was already having some emotion issues. Not what was needed for the large project coming up.

'_Is he still a child?'_ Seto found himself wondering as he glanced out one of the windows. No, probably not, seeing as Mokuba was currently resting at the age Seto had been when his own ideals for Kaiba Corp. skyrocketed. Therefore, keeping him from work would be preposterous and even insulting. However, he was having emotional issues, and Seto decided that it would be best to keep him from stressful work until he could work it out.

'_When did my baby brother grow up? Has time already flown so fast...'_ Seto sighed raggedly, smoothing his hair with his hand, bewildered by the strange and nameless sensation that fluttered inside of his stomach.

As he reached his office door, he pushed aside his unknown feelings to smolder elsewhere as he composed his 'business-man' persona. He glanced at his secretary, the fifth one that month, and waited.

"Ah. Only one candidate has shown up, Kaiba-san," squeaked a young woman, no more than 24, as she tried to avoid her employer's demanding gaze.

"Only one?" Kaiba could already feel his blood boiling, but he kept his composure. No need to scare away the only candidate with an angry fit of…well, anger.

"H-hai, Kaiba-sama…" the secretary stuttered nervously, terrified of losing her job and very well aware of her employer's history with firing secretaries.

"So be it…" Kaiba grumbled irately, not willing to pick a fight or even bother to lay any blame. With so much as a formal farewell, he stormed past the cowering woman and opened his office door.

Shortly after doing so, a small yet painful object collided with his forehead. "…ow." Rubbing the offended spot tenderly, it didn't take him long to register a scantily clad man lounging against his desk, repeatedly flicking a die into the air then expertly catching it. No doubt a similar cubic piece of plastic was what had hit his head.

Not bothering to look around the floor like a moron to find out, Kaiba closed his office door and walked to his desk, seemingly ignorant of the man grinning at him like a Cheshire cat. Only after he had set his briefcase down did he acknowledge the dice master's presence. "Please don't tell me that you're the one that's interested in the position, Otogi."

Ryuji's grin widened as he caught his die, twisting it between his fingers. "Just call me partner, Kaiba-baby."

Seto held back a growl of frustration and pushed the jet-haired man-slut from his clean desk. "No thank you."

Frowning, the dice master pelted the CEO with another die, quickly fishing a third from his pocket. "Don't be so picky, Kaaaaiba," drawled flirtatiously. Kaiba's eye twitched slightly as began to open his briefcase rather roughly.

Noticing that his antics may have gone a bit south, Otogi tried a different approach towards the CEO. "Come one, Kaiba-_san_. You know I'm experienced," he grinned at his own innuendo, "and my brilliant ideas could do wonders for your company. Besides…I don't exactly see a line outside your door."

The elder Kaiba scoffed, rearranging some papers. "That doesn't mean anything. They could be…late."

"You're a hard guy to work for, huh?"

"Goddamit, Otogi, I'm not hiring you!"

"…"

Seto glared at the questionably dressed man grinning at him.

Holding back a fair amount of unquestionable blood-lust, Kaiba prayed to the heavens not to punish him for what he was about to say.

"What can you offer the company?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Welcome home, Moku-oh my…" Ryou stopped mid-sentence as he got a good look at the shiner that the younger Kaiba brother was now sporting.

The raven-haired youth growled miserably. He would've glared at Ryou, but it hurt too much, so he opted for the irritable tone of voice instead. "Don't even say it. Yes, it was the same guys. No, please do not call the school or their parents. Yes, I would like an ice pack. No, do _not_ tell Seto."

The white-haired man blinked curiously as he led his young charge into the kitchen. "Now how on earth did you know I was going to say all of that?"

"Do you think you're the first nanny that I've had?"

"Touché. However, I demand that if I can't talk to Kaiba, you have to."

Mokuba winced as the albino stuck an icepack to his eye. Holding it in place, he watched as Ryou made his was over to the stove, where he assumed dinner was cooking.

"You're not a maid, Ryou, you don't have to cook and clean."

"Do not change the subject, Mokuba…"

The younger of the Kaiba's grumbled irritably as he glanced out the window. Damn sunny afternoons, trying to ruin his sour mood. "Fine. I promise I'll talk to Seto."

Smiling warmly, Ryou recovered his pot of stew and made his way to sit next to the teen.

"Now, Moku-"

A low whistling noise interrupted Ryou. "Holy Ra, shrimp, who'd you lose a fight with?"

"Sod off, Bakura!"

"Language, Mokuba!"

The more feral of the albinos chuckled as he made his way past the table. "Oh, lighten up, kid. I'm only messing with you. Too bad someone's already done it for me."

"Bakura, I'm warning you!" Ryou hissed at his yami, slamming his palms on the table.

"Whatever, Mary Poppins…" he replied nonchalantly as he left.

Ryou sighed, rubbing his temples. "You have no idea what I have to put up with…"

Nodding, the raven-haired youth turned to look at his worn caretaker. "I don't even want to imagine…"

Smiling, Ryou moved one hand to place it on top of his charge's free hand. "Back to what I was saying, we need to talk."

Flinching suspiciously, Mokuba recoiled from the touch, scooting his chair back defensively. "Talk about what?"

"What's really bugging you…"

"I have no idea-"

"Who are you in love with?"

Mokuba nearly fell from his seat; the shock from Ryou's bluntness was so great. "I…wah…"

"You can tell me…honestly…"

A pale hand gently caressed Mokuba's and warm, brown eyes locked with his own stormy ones. The teen sat there in silence, unsure of what to say or do. He wanted, needed, to tell someone, anyone, about his feelings. The feelings that were eating him from the inside out. The feelings that were turning him into a selfish brat that couldn't control his own emotions. He needed someone to confide in. But, he was ashamed. What he was feeling wasn't normal and he knew that. Would Ryou still want to care for him? Every fiber in the young boy's body prayed that he would.

"I…I love…I love Se-"

The front door of the mansion slammed and Mokuba jumped from Ryou as though the albino had burst into flames.

"Mokuba, come here!" a voice called from the foyer and the raven-haired youth was glad for the chance to flee from the white-haired man's gaze.

Ryou eyed the nervous boy as he fled from him, brown eyes smoldering with suspicion. _'He was…going to say Seto?' _

The storm-eyed boy bounded into the entry hall, hoping to all Gods above that he could just run into his brother's arms and let the day be done with. Shocked was he to find Ryuji Otogi standing before him instead.

"Yow. Nice shiner, kiddo. What happened?" the dice master questioned, reaching out to touch the bruise.

Mokuba found himself recoiling again, completely perplexed by the other man's presence.

Walking from behind Otogi, Seto rested his eyes on the ruffled and beaten form of his brother. "Again?" he stressed, his voice not betraying his irritation. Unfortunate for Mokuba, the worry that was also present never made it through.

"I…" the boy began, but couldn't find the words. When had he gotten so jumpy? So exhausted? Where was the anger from this morning?

He wasn't sure, but he was more than sure of the fact that something was off. "Why is Otogi here?"

Reminded of his co-worker's presence, Seto put his brother's state aside for the time being. "That's right. Um…Mokuba, do you recall the large project at work that I wanted to begin on?"

The younger Kaiba stiffened defensively. Of course he remembered that project. He'd been looking forward to it all year. "Hai."

"I don't think you're emotionally ready to work on something so large. I've temporarily hired Otogi as my partner until you can pull yourself together."

Stunned silence filled the room as Mokuba stared at his brother, disbelief in his eyes. "You're…replacing me?"

The elder Kaiba was quick to note the distraught look on his brother's face. "No. No, no, no. But, you are having a rough time, and I want you to-"

"No! I don't want your excuses! Fuck you and your goddamned project!" Mokuba bolted up the stairs, tears streaming from his eyes making his bruised eye burn in irritation.

Ryuji stared in shock as the elder brother bolted past him in hot pursuit of his sobbing sibling.

"Am I missing something here?" he questioned to Ryou, who was perched in his doorframe.

"No more than the rest of us…Come one, have some stew," Ryou offered, leading the dice master into the kitchen.

Upstairs, Mokuba had almost made it to his room before he was tackled to the ground by a stronger body, being thrown to the floor effortlessly. Kicking and punching, the younger struggled desperately to escape his brother's hold, but Seto out weighed him, and he was soon nothing more than a panting body cradled in his brother's arms.

Everything suddenly slowed down for him and he found himself feeling like the biggest and most idiotic jerk that existed. Why was he acting like a child? What was that going to prove? Nothing, that's what. It took him a lethargic moment to realize that his brother was shushing him quietly, which meant he was still sobbing. Sure enough, he felt his own hot tears trailing down his cheeks and stinging his left eye. As reality crashed around him, he fisted his brother's shirt desperately. "I am so sorry, Niisama. I didn't mean it."

"I know, Mokuba. I know. But, this is what I'm talking about. Something's wrong and it's got some insane hold on you. You've got to let me know what it is…"

Mokuba could've died at the soft and sweet things being said to him by Seto. His skin tingled uncomfortably as the elder brother's breath ghosted over his neck. He wanted to cry like a baby, but he had much too much pride to ruin his brother's image of him anymore than it had already been tarnished by his sporadic tantrum.

He wanted to let his brother know more than anything what was wrong. But he couldn't. He just couldn't. Mokuba then decided that his only choice was to confide in Ryou.

Because, how do you tell your brother that you're in love with him?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_A/N:_ This ended up with much more angst than I initially intended, but hell, there has to be some angst when you're in love with your brother, ne?

Don't worry, the majority of the chapters will be comedy and/or smut, but this wouldn't make for a good fic if there wasn't some conflict, right?

Besides, this chapter gave you some insight on the fact that Seto isn't as naïve and unknowing as he seems.

So, I'll see you later my Spanish galleons. READ & REVIEW!

Pixie-chan


	3. A Series of Revelations

A/N: I've been away much too long and I apologize for my absence. I don't really have an excuse for it. Okay, so this chapter is for all of my readers/fan, but I'm also using it to answer one particular reader's question. I'm unfortunate enough to not have a name for this reader, since the review was anonymous, but I still appreciate the question asked.

When did Mokuba realize he loved Seto?

Disclaimer: I don't own any element of Yugioh. If I did, it would have never been able to air on cartoon network, even if 4Kids tried to clean it up.

Name: There Will Be Two Seats

Rating: M, for sexual content

Summary: Teenaged years can be rough, and poor Mokuba's finding this out. Though, he's determined to make friends and have fun. However, his feelings for his brother are getting in the way, and he just can't find a way to let Seto know. Throw in an albino nanny and a dice-playing co-worker, and the poor boy's going to have a heart-attack.

Locketshipping, Snareshipping, Tendershipping, and Puzzleshipping.

* * *

Chapter Three: A Series of Revelations

Mokuba was vaguely aware of the bed shifting beside him. He was also vaguely aware of the sunlight beckoning through the blinds. But he hardly bothered to acknowledge either the shifting or the light. He was just too comfortable.

He recalled the night before as he had finally calmed down in his brother's arms. But, by then, he had lost his appetite. So, Seto picked him up, rather easily much to Mokuba's chagrin, and carried him into the CEO's bedroom. After disappearing downstairs; he assumed to tell Ryou dinner was no longer needed; Seto returned to the room, dressed for bed, and held his brother close that night.

Under normal circumstances, Mokuba thought to himself, the situation of sleeping in the same bed as his older brother would have made the raven-headed youth jumpy and nervous, being so close to the object of his twisted affections. However, Mokuba's worry-ridden mind had taken all it could for one day, so the teen drifted into a peaceful sleep in his brother's arms.

Thus, Mokuba had found himself so comfortably nuzzled in his brother's oversized bed, that when consciousness returned, he simply refused to move. In fact, it wasn't until he felt his brother's weight back on the bed as he knelt next to his younger sibling that Mokuba let his stormy eyes slide open to meet his brother's gaze.

"Hey, kiddo," his brother greeted gently yet awkwardly. Seto never was one for showing affections.

"Ohaiyo, niisama…" the youth replied softly, propping himself onto his elbows.

"I have to leave for work in a few minutes, but you can stay home from school today and sleep." Seto reached out to move a stray strand of his brother's uncontrollable hair away from his face.

"Of course I can," the teen replied bluntly.

Seto pulled his hand back, wondering why his brother began to look at him as if he'd said something stupid.

Mokuba grinned suddenly, pulling his brother down onto the bed next to him. Seto tensed, but followed anyway, unsure of the fluttering that passed through his stomach.

"It's Saturday, niisama. No school," the youth giggled, hugging his brother close. His young heart beat quickly, determined to hold on to this rare moment of intimacy, no matter how small.

Seto smirked to himself. "Ah. Is that so? Well, then, get some more sleep, anyway." The elder Kaiba pulled from the hold, wondering if it was just him or did Mokuba's touch seem as if the boy was savoring every bit of contact?

The CEO shook his head, berating himself of such wild fantasies. Or, _thoughts._ Since when did he_ fantasize_ about his brother? He stood straight, making his way over to his mirror to fix his tie.

Mokuba watched him with a fixed gaze; eyes roaming his brother's body intently. Sliding from his spot beneath the comforter, the teen made his way to his brother and wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist.

Seto tensed again, feeling an odd tingling sensation on his skin, but brushed the thought aside. "Get back in bed Mokuba. You just had a mental breakdown, you need sleep."

Breakdown? Mokuba hummed in his throat as he rested his head on Seto's arm. _'Is that what I was going through? But, I feel fine now. Better.'_

Seto rolled his shoulder, snagging the attention of his sibling. "Hey, quit the hugging and get back in bed, kiddo."

"I hate that nickname."

"What?" Seto questioned, meeting the gaze of his brother's reflection in the mirror.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Seto."

Not a kid anymore? _'Wasn't I thinking that just yesterday,' _the brunette thought. Finally, Seto saw it with his own eyes. With Mokuba next to him, leaning their bodies together, Seto saw in their reflections the obvious truth. His baby brother was no longer a baby. He was tall, yet only came to Seto's chin. But, he was slim and slender, well built, with a trace of elegance and ethereal mystery in his form. His eyes had narrowed with age and so had his face, becoming thin and beautiful as the baby-fat had vanished from his cheeks. His once grubby fingers were now long and slender, and his tanned legs seemed to be a mile long, yet they fit so perfectly on his graceful-looking frame.

The elder Kaiba trembled. His brother was a young man now, and an attractive one at that.

Unfamiliar and downright disturbing thoughts spun through the elder brother's head, and he quickly broke eye contact. "I have to go to work now, Mokie. Please get some more sleep."

Reluctantly, the raven-haired youth allowed himself to be steered back to the bed, where he plopped down on the satin sheets and smiled at his brother.

"Hey, Seto?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to kill Otogi."

* * *

He slept for a few more hours before drifting awake again. Still unwilling to leave his warm nest, however, he allowed himself to slip into thought.

He'd acted oddly this morning. Getting much friendlier with his distant brother than he would ever usually dare to do. But, he'd just felt so great, so alive, waking up in his brother's bed, the scent of his shampoo and cologne greeting his nose. It was a dream come true.

Well, alright, a dream come true would've involved much more risqué actions that wound them up in bed together, but nonetheless, it was still a nice feeling without it being post-sex.

Post-sex. It scared Mokuba how easy it was to view his brother that way. He was, most certainly, still aware of how wrong it was to feel that way, but he'd gotten so used to the feeling that it didn't seem to matter anymore.

It was hard, really, to spend everyday ignoring the butterflies and the warm glow and the tingling sensations. It was hard to ignore the way he moved when he worked, when he walked, when he talked softly to his brother. He couldn't ignore the dreams, and he most certainly couldn't ignore how right it all felt despite it being wrong. How do you ignore _any_ of that?

Mokuba certainly didn't ask to fall in love with Seto. Hell, he didn't even ask to be gay. But both were true and both were impossible to fix. Sure, telling your brother you're gay is one thing. Telling him it's him you want is a whole other matter. There's no way he could tell. Not anybody. And that's probably why he had a breakdown. You can only pretend to ignore something so intense for so long.

Long. How long? How long had Mokuba loved Seto? Well, that depends. Is the question how long he'd loved him? Or how long he had been _aware_ that he loved him? Mokuba would probably guess that he loved Seto, subconsciously, for a long time. Realizing it, however, is a different story.

It must've been sometime back when he was fourteen. His nanny at the time had decided the "puberty video/talk" was past due and when Mokuba was finally released from said torture, he spent the next few weeks looking at the world in a new, and mildly disturbing, light.

He noticed small things at first, like how his stomach flip-flopped whenever they hugged and how his skin felt warm after Seto brushed against him. At first Mokuba wrote it off as side-effects from his scarring sex talk with his nanny, but he soon shockingly realized that he wasn't feeling anything new. He was just suddenly aware of what it meant.

He denied his feelings at first, hating himself, cursing himself. How could he fall in love with his brother? But, thinking about it at that moment, curled in those satin sheets, how could he not fall for him?

All their lives, they've only had each other. Yes, many siblings were in their situation, but it still wasn't the same. Seto put a wall between himself and the world. He was dark, sadistic, and ill-tempered at best and he didn't care who or what he hurt on his way to the top. People meant nothing to him. They were pawns. He watched the world with cruelty from behind his wall.

But he wasn't alone. Only one person could stand by his side. Only this person could see his occasional, albeit small, smiles. Only they could see he was warmer than he let on and he only did what did so he could feel complete. Only Mokuba could see that he wasn't cruel; just damaged.

And only Mokuba could touch his wounds. Because Mokuba was beside him the entire time.

Mokuba reveled in this closeness; this "Seto-just-for-him." Yes, he wanted his brother to have friends and to be nicer to people, but he couldn't deny the thrill it gave him to know how special and irreplaceable he was to his brother. Mokuba needed Seto just the same. The younger Kaiba had his own wounds; his own scars that marked his soul. Seto was the only one who could touch them, and know the boy for all he truly was. He was the only one who knew that Mokuba had his bad days, where he would think about the past. He was the one who could hold Mokuba as he sobbed or comfort him in the dead of night when he came shyly into his brother's room, trembling due to a nightmare.

They were the only ones that could make each whole, because they were the only ones that the other could fine a sanctuary in.

So, how could Mokuba not love Seto? They _were_ what made each other whole. Complete. Real.

Sighing, Mokuba rolled over and glared at the alarm clock that told him it was time for lunch. He sat up, groaning, then threw his legs over the bed and began a lethargic trek downstairs.

Ryou was making sandwiches when he made it to the kitchen and Bakura was no where to be seen.

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake, Mokuba. I made you a sandwich," the nanny said softly then he noticed the youngest Kaiba.

Mokuba quickly recalled his resolution from the night before and took a cautious seat at the kitchen table. "Yeah, thanks. Um, Ryou? Can I confide in you?"

"Ah, ready to tell me who you love, are you?"

Frowning, Mokuba didn't really like Ryou's mildly cocky take on the situation. So, he decided to earn something in return. "Yes. If you tell me who you love."

Ryou raised an eyebrow, setting the plate down in front of the teen slowly. "Why…?"

"If you get dirt on me, then I get dirt on you."

The albino scowled, lightly batting the boy's head with a dishtowel. "Mokuba, this isn't about gossip. It's about your mental state. However, I'll tell you anyway, if it'll make you feel better….. I love Bakura."

Mokuba coughed mid-bite, staring at Ryou. "Your yami? But that's so weird! It's like loving yourself or…your…brother…" He trailed off, his eyes roaming the now very interesting floor.

A flash of realization hovered in Ryou's eyes before a small smile wound up on his lips. "Then I don't think I'll have a problem with you accepting it…"

Cringing, Mokuba discarded his sandwich back onto the plate. He was silent for a moment. Then, with watery eyes, he met Ryou's soft gaze. "I'm sick, aren't I?"

The albino smiled and took one of the teen's hands in both of his. "No more than myself, or Yugi, or Malik, if that's the case."

Mokuba shrugged, awkwardly drumming the fingers of his free hand against the table. He looked up when he felt a soft hand brushing hair out of his face and he couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth from the smile that greeted him.

"It's not wrong to be in love, Mokuba. There is no wrong place to find love."

And Mokuba smiled back, suddenly feeling a small bit of hope that had been begging to be given a chance.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, it was sort of a filler chapter, but Seto and Ryou both learned new things! And that reader's question was answered. (GIVE ME YOUR NAME, OH INSPIRING ONE!) I want to thank all of my readers for being so patient with me.

Much love,

Pixie


	4. Life's A Little Awkward

A/N: You know…I'm so stressed, I'm not even going to apologize for my absences anymore.

To see my Mokuba cosplay, got to www . sakai-mew-sky . deviantart . com (without the spaces, of course).

I was unsure of what to do after not sitting down to the computer for a while, so I took some suggestions from my anonymous reviewer and flew with it. Flew…

Name: There Will Be Two Seats

Rating: M, for sexual content

Disclaimer: You know, this site is called . One would assume that I don't own Yugioh. And I don't.

Summary: Teenaged years can be rough, and poor Mokuba's finding this out. Though, he's determined to make friends and have fun. However, his feelings for his brother are getting in the way, and he just can't find a way to let Seto know. Throw in an albino nanny and a dice-playing co-worker, and the poor boy's going to have a heart-attack.

Locketshipping, Snareshipping, Tendershipping, and Puzzleshipping.

* * *

Chapter Four: Life's a little awkward…

* * *

Mokuba's back arched, his breathing becoming quick and erratic. Sweat poured down his nimble frame as his chest heaved; he moaned.

Royal blue eyes stared down at him, hazy with lust yet still somehow filled with their natural cold demeanor. Seto's breath hitched, thrusting into the smaller frame with greedy force, shivering at the needy mewls eliciting from his brother's mouth.

Mokuba cried out; the feeling of Seto inside him was amazing. He was so close…just a little more…

"MOKUBA!"

The raven-haired youth started awake, drenched in his own sweat and covered in the moisture of something he'd rather not think of inside of his boxers. Clearing his throat he answered the frantic call of his brother outside of his locked bedroom door. "H-hai, Niisama?"

"What's wrong? Why is the door locked?"

Any passerby would only hear irate anger in the elder Kaiba's voice, but Mokuba noticed something else, a frantic concern, lacing his deep, strong words.

The younger smiled, though it was brief as his eyes trailed down to the mess around his waist. His face flared red-hot as he called back through the door. "It…it was just a nightmare…I'm fine now. The door is locked to keep Bakura out."

There was a silence from the other side and Mokuba couldn't shake the idea that there was more to it than what should've been simple understanding. He gulped heavily, though he was unsure why, and slowly peeled back his sticky covers as he waited for a response.

Seto's deep voice broke through the wooded barrier again, startling his younger brother. "Alright. I just wanted to remind you that you have school today. I'm off to work, okay?"

Stripping from his soiled boxers, Mokuba nodded before he realized that Seto was still on the other side of the wall. _"God, now his voice is even confusing me…I can't think straight when I hear it. It's like it's infecting me."_

"Thank you, Niisama. Have a good day at work." He tossed the boxers into his laundry bin.

Another, shorter, silence followed his answer before a quiet "thank you" was muttered and his brother's heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Mokuba stared at his door forlornly. He would've given anything to throw it open and bound down the hall, catching his brother with a hug before he made his way to the limo. But little flashes of his dream pirouetted in his mind, twisting his thoughts and feelings into an awkward puddle of embarrassment.

Grumbling tiredly, Mokuba pulled his sheets off of his bed, using them to wipe his legs down. Checking the clock, he unfortunately discovered that it was too late to take a shower. After tugging his uniform on and pulling his hair into a pony tail, he gathered his sheets and thundered downstairs.

Ignoring Ryou's breakfast suggestions, the younger Kaiba thrust the sheets into the albino's arms with a blush and a muttered "don't ask" before he fled the kitchen and tore out the door.

* * *

"I was thinking we could make a new line of cards…"

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"…and they should have a theme…"

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"…like, dice, or something."

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Uh, Kaiba?"

_Ta_- Kaiba blinked, halting the incessant tapping of his pen against the hard wood desk. He stared at Otogi Ryuji, almost shocked that he was even there. "Yes…?" he questioned, unsure of what he was questioning.

The ponytailed man frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "What do you think?"

The CEO stared blankly at him, twisting the pen unsurely in his fingers. "Um…Yeah, sorry, I wasn't listening."

Almost growling in frustration, Otogi flopped into the chair opposite of Kaiba and propped his feet up on the large desk. "That's the third time this morning that you've ignored every word I said. I thought you said this was a partnership. Why aren't you listening to me?"

Placing his pen down, Seto glowered at the other man, pushing his feet roughly from his pristine desk. "Stop whining like a child, Otogi. And keep in mind that your position is temporary…" He opened a drawer to his left, fingering through the files.

Ryuji wrinkled his brow with irritation as he thought to himself that maybe he pursued the wrong job offer. "That's still no reason to act like you're so much better than me by ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you!" Kaiba slammed the drawer, his icy eyes flashing dangerously. The man in the other chair shifted uncomfortably. Continuing, the CEO placed a file on the table. "I'm just thinking. As for me being better than you, that goes without question. Now take this file to your office, think over it, and report your ideas to me after lunch."

Looking positively aghast, Otogi stood and snatched the file angrily from his employer's desk. He turned to leave, but a thought sped through his brain, making him pause. He turned back, a feral grin on his face as his eyes met Kaiba's.

"You know…if you're that frustrated, I could help."

Blue eyes narrowed at him. "What do you mean?"

Ryuji's grin widened as he threw one hip to the side with a wink. "Does your door lock?"

There was a significant silence before the CEO responded.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The black-haired man fled, spouting laughter, barely shutting the door behind him before Seto's pen smashed hard against the wood.

The brunet crossed his arms, fuming silently in his now quiet office.

"Stupid man. How dare he suggest he has a solution to any of my problems, especially the more risqué ones…" he growled, tapping his foot anxiously against the underside of his desk. How dare Otogi even suggest such a thing? It wasn't like Seto was ignoring him to think about such thi-

Kaiba's eyes widened. But, that was just it. He was thinking about risqué things, despite his hardest efforts to think of anything and everything else. Anything but that voice from this morning…

_He had made his way from his room, ready to go to work. There was only one thing he had to do before he left and that was to get his goodbye hug from Mokuba. Years of tradition had trained him never to leave without it, lest it upset the younger, or himself for that matter._

_Reaching the door, his placed a gentle hand on the doorknob and tried to push it open. It didn't even budge. Seto stared at the white paneling in bewilderment. Mokuba had locked his door? Since when? He pushed again, just to make sure, but it remained stubbornly in its frame. _

_Concern slowly filled him. Opening his mouth, he was about to call out to the teen, when a small sound stopped him. Closing his mouth, he leaned in close, nearly resting on the door, and listened intently. Soft moaning reached his ears and he glanced at the doorknob in worry. Was he having a nightmare?_

"_Seto……yes….."_

_The elder Kaiba went rigid. _

_No longer did those soft moans sound pained. Had they even sounded pained to begin with? _

_Seto blinked rapidly, his mind reeling. _

_More moans, louder than before, filled his ears, making a warm tingle envelope his body from head to foot._

_Mokuba was having a sexual dream. And it was about him, his own brother…_

Kaiba drummed his fingers fretfully on his desk, not wanting to relive the rest of that morning, including the awkwardness and his sincere lack of hug.

His head spun again, making him feel ill.

"What's worse that hearing your own brother dreaming about you like that?"

"_Liking it,"_ replied a cynical voice in his head, and he made no effort to argue with it. Yes, he admitted it, to himself at least, that just the idea of Mokuba feeling that way made him tingle all over again. It was erotic.

"But it can't happen," he growled to his libido, drumming his fingers harder against the polished wood of his work station. "Never. It's wrong on countless levels."

Seto wasn't about to ruin everything he'd built on a whim of hormonal curiosity. He was certain this feeling of his would pass; for him and for Mokuba.

"Hormones," he repeated out loud, as if trying to convince himself, "Nothing more than a whim."

But Seto had not thoroughly convinced himself, for that whim of which he spoke settled on him, burdening him with thoughts and ideas that didn't bug him as much as they should have. And that alone bothered him.

* * *

Mokuba limped into the kitchen, his arms wrapped around his stomach as he winced with every step. Ryou, who was busy stirring what looked like cake batter, froze his actions to look at the teen.

"Again?" he questioned wearily, his eyes roaming the boy for any visible bruises.

The younger Kaiba glared at him as if wanting to make a snide, sarcastic comment, but he held his tongue, aware that Ryou was only being protective. With a sharp breath of pain, he sat down at the table and reclined his aching body.

"Do you ever say things to provoke them? Ever?" Ryou prodded gently, putting his batter down to grab an ice pack from the freezer.

With a ragged sigh, Mokuba replied, "If I do, I'm not aware of it. I think they just hate the fact that I exist."

Ryou clicked his tongue, displeased with the answer from his young charge. Taking a seat next to him, the albino waggled the ice pack in question as to where it should be place. Mokuba lifted his shirt, revealing a fist-sized black and blue mark, and, with a cringe of paternal discontent, Ryou placed the ice pack on the bruised flesh.

The youth shuddered, but did nothing else for a long time, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Ryou stared at him, questions sitting on the tip of his tongue, but he refused to bother the boy, who seemed to be deeply concentrating.

Bakura slipped in through the kitchen door, eyeing the two in question before he spotted the batter sitting abandoned on the counter. He sauntered over and immediately stuck his finger in, bringing it to his mouth to suck on it.

Ryou snapped his attention from Mokuba to his yami, a look of sincere irritation on his face. "Bakura! Don't stick your fingers in that! It's totally unsanitary," he scolded, crossing his arms over his thin chest.

The thief scoffed, a bored look only briefly passing his face before it was replaced with a much more sinister one. Ambling over to the table, he leaned in close to Ryou, their noses touching.

"No, Ryou, _this _is unsanitary."

With one swift movement the gap between them closed and Bakura's tongue had forced its way past Ryou's lips, sliding along the roof of his mouth. As quickly as he leaned in, the tomb raider pulled back, a smirk plastered to his face as he observed his hikari's dumbfounded look. With a husky chuckle he ruffled Ryou's hair, then vanished quickly from the room.

Utterly dazed, Ryou stared at where Bakura was just moments ago, slowly regaining his bearings. When he finally realized that the kiss-stealing troublemaker was gone, he cautiously glanced in Mokuba's direction, the boy in question giving him an aggravated, tired look.

After a few more moments of tense, awkward silence, the ebony-haired boy broke into a soft laughter, his discontented look morphing into a softly amused smile.

"Hey, Ryou?" he asked softly, chuckling at the albino's distraught and lost look.

The white-haired man raised a wary eyebrow in question, further shocked by the teen's mood swing; although, teens _will _be teens.

The boy smiled at him sheepishly and leaned forward to place an understanding hand on his shouldered.

"Ryou, tomorrow's going to be a great day."

The nanny blinked, his head tilting to the side in confusion.

"Why do you say that, Mokuba?"

Smiling, a glint of childish wonder in his eyes, the teen answered, "I've been thinking. Ever since I started thinking negatively, bad things keep happening. So, I thought, maybe if I think positively, some good things will happen." He shrugged unsurely, but the smile lingered on his face. "Besides, I've had it with being depressed. All it does is upset the people I care about."

Ryou could help but smile. This was the Mokuba he remembered. This was the happy kid who trailed after his brother relentlessly, offering nothing but cheerful vigor to the friends he made along the way. This was what they'd been missing. "You know, Mokuba, you're a good kid."

Mokuba smiled, standing slowly to make his way to his room to change. Placing the ice pack on the table, his smile morphed into a full-out grin.

"Thank Ryou…. And maybe I'll be lucky enough to get unsanitary kisses, too."

With a tiny wink he turned and made his way to the foyer, leaving Ryou to frown in his absence.

A blush rose like fire in the albino's face as he stood, making his way back over to his batter.

And this, he knew, was the true beginning of their unorthodox adventure. Surprisingly, he thought as he touched his lips subconsciously, he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

A/N: AS-SHKA-BAM! And thus perky, true to nature Mokuba rears his mischievous head. No more emo unless absolutely necessary. I mean, I like angst in fanfics, but I don't like it when all the characters are twisted into unrealistic suicidal shadows of their former canon glory.

Yeah, I know this is short, but it's still very important to the plot. This will not be the last time the wet dream or Bakura's kiss is mentioned.

Just a note for anyone who may have gotten confused: Of the Ryou/Bakura pair, the hikari will never be called anything besides Ryou and the yami will never be called anything besides Bakura. I will NEVER interchange the names. I'll just confuse myself that way.

BETA'D BY: Zenelly. Because she's a better writer than me. Go check out her ZEMYX fic.

**Zenelly**: *turns red* That does it, I'm going to shamelessly plug your fics when the next chapter of mine comes out….


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